News

This image provided by the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s office shows the Cuyahoga County Corrections Center booking photo of Ariel Castro, 52, after he was ordered to be held on $8 million bail Thursday, May 9, 2013, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Cuyahoga County)

Castro’s mother: “I have a son who is sick – I am suffering too”

“What can I say, I have a son who is sick who has committed something serious,” said Rodriguez in Spanish. “I am suffering a lot. I ask for forgiveness from those mothers, that the girls will forgive me. I suffer all that they suffer.”

Ariel Castro has been arraigned on charges of rape and kidnapping after three women missing for about almost ten years were found alive at his home. Castro appeared in court this morning, looked down at the ground for nearly the entire time in court, bit his collar and signed documents while in handcuffs. Bond was set at $2 million on each case.

Castro has been charged with four counts of kidnapping, for each woman he kidnapped and the daughter born to one of them, as well as three counts of rape, against all three women. Police have talked with both Castro and the women at length. According to police, the women were kept inside Castro’s house for all but a few brief minutes over the last 10 years.

Castro’s mother told reporters, “I am suffering for the pain of my son, that my son is sick and I have nothing to do with what my son did.”

She then asked reporters to leave her alone. “I am a mother and I am suffering too,” Rodriguez said.